Taxi Driver Online

Heres a post from Captain Cab:

From a purely english point of view, has the number of taxis in Scotlands captital any bearing on the number of world cups the football team has won?

also, if the number of taxis at some point equates to demand, can they at some point send a cheque (or preferably cash) for that lovely Parliament building the english paid for.

regards

Captain Cab

ps

thanks for the oil




There has been a few posts on here, Captain Cabs being the latest, that alludes to the English having paid for the Scottish Parliament, and Sussex with the road pricing gaff about the war in Iraq, but for years the oil revenue poured down south, while we had some of the most deprived areas in Europe, there are still stubborn pockets of degradation in Scotland, so yes indeed Captain Cab, it should be Thanks for the oil or at least the revenues you took gladly from us, while some of our own people died , I think it was ten years earlier, than our counterparts down south and still do in some areas, maybe thats my problem with this issue, I just do not like the fact that it comes from down there, Know what I mean?

I like the idea of self determination, so thanks for giving us some of our own money back to build our Parliament building , very magnanimous of you!


It must be something to do with my name, maybe it's genetic.

Not a bad decision IMHO, even though I the nosiest c*** around.

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IDFIMH

I have found most little Englanders to be of a similar nature.

It's simply a personal interest in the continuation of a state of affairs of some kind, in this case restricted taxi numbers.

Of course, some jockies think they have a vested interest in restricted taxi numbers, but in fact since they are paying inflated rentals then that's not the case.

So you don't mind paying inflated rentals?

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Taxi Driver Online
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But surely the point is that your mention of the world heritage status was that it wasn't really relevant to Ali's comparison between taxi and other licensing - ie you were comparing the particular to the more general rationale for licensing, which was the one used by Ali.

Thus to the extent that the more general licensing scenario should be the valid comparison for taxi licensing (since you'll agree that the WHS scenario should have no impact on taxi licensing), then the WHS position was not really relevant.

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I've never really seen the connection between suppy and demand and restricted numbers, because you can easily change these variables by adopting the appropriate fare levels. Indeed, remember the fare hike that was supposed to attract more drivers into the trade? Thus you can get rid of any unmet demand without increasing taxi numbers, demonstrating another way in which the test is a nonsense.

A year or two ago Mark Greenhalgh said on another forum:



Wise words indeed, but this just demonstrates how restricted numbers benefit only plate holders - the number of drivers is restricted only by the saturation/free market level, ie the very principle that plate holders seem to think is so unfair - that's why there's always a 'shortage' of drivers, and the vested interests think nothing of driving down wages if more drivers can be attracted into the trade, for example in the recent article in your evening paper:

Secondly, the evidence from many owner-drivers I speak to suggests their cabs are not in the same demand from part-time and casual drivers as in the past, suggesting there's fewer people looking to take on the job where, through necessity, the shifts seem to be getting longer.

So if things are so bad in Edinburgh, why are the owners still desperate to take drivers on and adding to the 15 deep ranks? Simple, self-interest and indifference to what the drivers are earning, indeed the same rationale for restricting the number of vehicles in the first place.

That's the basic double standard of the whole thing that I don't like.

But I shouldn't have to say all this because we used quite a few examples from Edinburgh in our Myth and Reality document, which should demonstrate the arbitrary nature of restrictions and the related test.

Here's another example, and a related couple of questions for you to answer:

1 A few years ago the shortage of drivers was quantified at 300, and it was proposed dumbing down the knowledge test and setting up a head hunting team etc.

What would be the impact of 300 new drivers on the trade, would it worsen the supposed number of taxis sitting idle or not? And if so, why do this? Well the answer is quite simple to each question, and was given above.

2 Later the consultants recommended 50 or so new plates. Of course, the vested interests were apoplectic about this.

But what would have a worse impact on the 15-deep ranks, the 50 new plates or the 300 new drivers? Please bear in mind that most of the 50 new taxis would probably be manned by existing drivers, and in any case it's unlikely that there would be more than 3 new drivers per car.

3 Say the survey found a shortfall in supply of 5%. If it issued 5% more plates, would this increase supply by 5%, bearing in mind that most of the new taxis would in all likelihood be manned by existing taxi drivers. And if the answer is no, does this demonstrate that the surveys are bullocks?


And how do restricted numbers ensure that the quality, safety and environmental requirements are met, as you claim above?

That's got little to do with restricted numbers. I was in Edinburgh before Xmas, and I'd have to admit that you have a fine fleet of motors, but that's got little to do with restrictions - there are fine fleets of motors in unrestricted areas, and sheds in restricted areas with higher plate values than Edinburgh - Blackpool, for example.

4 Do you think that if your council didn't specify wheelchair accessible cabs (for example) then your trade would be running them? - I suspect it would be running the same vehicles as your PH sector does, and the extra profits would mean even higher plate premiums.




I've yet to hear this reasoning (or at least the reality rather than the myths), so perhaps you could enlighten us.

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Sirius Wrote to Captain Cab


I like the idea of self determination, so thanks for giving us some of our own money back to build our Parliament building, very magnanimous of you!


Does this self determination thing you are talking about apply to taking control of your own Taxi Trade and selling on your professionalism i.e. legal representation for drivers and owners, Vehicle type and choice, tariff rises, controlling increases in taxi and PHC numbers, setting your own Topo test, SVQ modules in tourism, first aid, customer care, stress management etc. As well as forcing the PHC to do the knowledge and modules also.

If this is what you are proposing then count me in.


Where do I sign up?


Sirius you are a star, this self determination thing sounds good to me but unfortunately the dumplings that own and buy their own plate don’t see it that way. They hand all their self determination over to a handful of trade mandarins who do nothing but represent themselves and their plate value.



Now that was a vision but unfortunately I won’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen.



Back to death and de-restriction!

Who compiled the Myth and Reality Report it is a quality piece of kit?

I'm not sure what you mean by this mate. Theres nothing in the Act about communications equipment or the like, it's just about the fact that PH have to be booked in advance and about operating areas and the like. I think that when the Act was passed the intended mode of operation was as it is now, the only difference being that mobile phones have made a bit of a difference.

So if base station licensing goes through I doubt if it will make any difference to the big PH companies in Edinburgh.

In St Andrews we used to have about three big taxi offices and a couple of independents, and not really any PH.With mobile phones we now have much the same regards the big offices, a few firms of two or three cars run from the glovebox and about 20 independents, all with mobiles.

But if they are stopped from taking bookings from the car then things will go back to what things were like before the mobile phones.

well we can make it happen, lets organise a ballot, that way we can see exactly what the thoughts and wishes of all the people in the trade really are.

What is wrong with this, is that not the democracy that everyone bemoans we no longer have.

What would a vote prove?

No more than a vote by three slavemasters and two slaves on the merits of slavery.

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas.

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Well self determination is okay but forcing others to except your view of self determination is slightly harder to achieve, but never the less we still live in sort of a democracy, so lets vote on it.

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Taxi Driver Online
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Err, hello? It's YOU and your fellow restricted numbers fans who want to determine what others in the trade do - do as I say, not as I do.

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Taxi Driver Online
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Well I think there are thousands of Drivers and only 1260 cabs, so it follows that there must be more slaves than masters, it would be interesting to see how many people crave the de-limited paradise much espoused on this and other sites.

Turkeys might vote for Christmas, well if they new they were not going to end up in the oven.